


The Mapmaker

by JackieSBlake7



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 18:26:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12870420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackieSBlake7/pseuds/JackieSBlake7
Summary: Boromir has another reason for going to Rivendell





	The Mapmaker

The Steward’s sons had been given the education and training of the ruling classes of Gondor: like many others they were expected to be practical in their applications of their learning, and to patronise the craftspeople and scholars, in part to demonstrate their learning and position. All throughout Gondor were familiar with its cultural heritage and had some understanding of its geographical extent and some details of the wider Middle Earth.

As his sons became more involved in the Council of Advisers and the wider administration of Gondor affairs Denethor devoted more time to his scholarly interests. The handover of responsibility as those of younger generation became adults was considered normal among all ranks of Gondor society: and sometimes matters within a family or group were arranged somewhat differently to what was presented to the wider community, whether leading family or the longstanding workshop. Arrangements could always be made for those with particular aptitudes or absence thereof, particularly for cadet branches.

Faramir followed his father in favouring historical interests. Boromir’s taste went towards maps of all kinds – from those covering much of Middle Earth to the estates of the land-owning classes – useful, among other things, in showing the potential for taxation or otherwise – and the route maps of travellers and traders, indicating fairs and festivals and other points of interest. Gondor had territories enough for those who presently considered themselves of its people, but it was wise to know who else there was to be found other than within neighbouring territories, and the land of Rohan and the land of Mordor: there might be opportunities for trade and communication, or the potential for threats. Besides the stories from distant lands could be entertaining in their novelty.  
Their father occasionally expressed wry amusement at the traders and others visiting the brothers to offer "interesting or ingenious things found or constructed", or, on visiting the principal dwellings of the upper classes, being shown their collections. The craftspeople and their guilds tended to acquire relevant practical things - sometimes called mathoms, a peasant word of unknown origin - related to their work and would occasionally discuss the skill of constructing something in more depth than the listeners, whether of the ruling families or scholars, found relevant. They preferred emphasising what they described as “good workmanship” and usefulness to those items their social superiors collected for their refinement and associations: Denethor could often appreciate their point of view more than that of the scholars. 

What was also interesting, as Boromir and others travelled round Gondor was seeing how the actual lie of the land could differ from what the maps said – though partially it was a matter of scale, or how long since the map had been created and its particular emphasis. A river could provide a barrier or a trade route, footpaths unknown to the mapmakers provided shortcuts between the official roads – and strategy had to rely on more than mere maps.  
There were occasions where he, Faramir and others could arrange for improvements to be made, and make the connections and routes on the map a reality. Stating to the locals that this was on one level what they were being taxed for might result in cynical retorts about the possibilities for greater taxation arising even as they appreciated what had been done. There were occasions when as "someone not from these parts" they would be made use of in many ways. It was expected that they would pay over the local going rates and to do no more than token haggling, to be liberal in their expenditure, occasionally to arbitrate in disputes because of rank and neutrality through unfamiliarity with the situation. Sometimes, it appeared, the "correct" solution was worked out after the arbitrator left - there was no loss of face or local precedence as a result.

Boromir also found it interesting to see what the locals - townsfolk and villagers = knew of the wider world. Most knew mainly the places within a day's travel or even less, and possibly rare visits to the fairs and "special places", but there were craftspeople, traders on the small scale and others who went further afield, and there was a steady flow of information as a result. He was willing to provide some details of his own travels, to give some idea of how far Gondor extended beyond the limited part of it they knew.

Now Boromir was in somewhat of the same position as the local scholars and "far-learned-folk" seeking to extend their knowledge and repute by repeating what they had learnt, however tenuous or distorted. He had to go to Rivendell – which was marked on the maps, and its approximate relationship to Gondor indicated - but not the details of the routes. Possibly the Elves and the Dwarves, both known more by repute than thorough actual contact – knew more, and the traders and travellers could do little more than provide him with the route to Rohan and statements that the routes were more or less familiar, and could be tracked to Isengard, where the wizard Saruman knew much. The wizard who used many names but seemingly preferred to be called Gandalf, and some of the Rangers, who had some mysterious role with respect to Gondor that Denethor would not presently explain, had gone to Rivendell - but were elsewhere on their travels.  
Boromir discussed the matter with his father. He accepted his father's statement that with the resources that there was much of Middle Earth that was under no state's rule - or at most that of some petty village chief who saw little use for visitors beyond the practicalities in exchange for a brief sojourn, occasional trade and the occasional brat, whose unknown paternity was regarded in a more positive light than it would be in towns. It would be long before any of these little communities would be recognised - or, in many cases, given a permanent name: where there was trade beyond the boundaries the current chief or some local landmark, which might well be a prominent tree, served instead.

One of the components of Boromir's journey, was to record such detail as he could of the journey and the places found, to acquire maps and histories and to see what could be acquired from Rivendell. A dream was all very well, and its explanation an excuse for making contact, but the present and future acquisition and exchange of information was to be given priority. Even members of the relevant guild and library were giving him instructions as to what information he should acquire.  
It would be a long time before Boromir would have to consider how he would be remembered - but he was pleased with the by-name he was now occasionally called by, and there were worse reputations to create and live up to than Boromir the Map Maker.


End file.
